Leadership and strategic planning
Effective leadership and strategic planning skills are the keys to success for any CIO. As more CIOs are expected to speak the language of the business and contribute to the success of the organization, leadership and strategic planning skills are essential. Find information and advice on effective leadership and strategic planning for CIOs, including news, tips and other resources, in this topic section.
Top Stories
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Tip
14 Mar 2024
Practical strategies for shadow IT management
Employees might believe that they need tools beyond the organization's scope. Learn how CIOs and their teams can properly manage shadow IT to avoid unnecessary risk. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jul 2023
Replacing vs. maintaining legacy systems
Understanding issues such as which systems hinder organizational performance can help IT leaders decide which legacy systems to replace and which to maintain. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 Feb 2016
The four facets of an Agile PMO
The Agile project management office (PMO) leverages the centralized portfolio management team to deliver on projects and products faster, said Michael Nir, president and founder of Sapir Consulting ... Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Feb 2016
8 free IT budget plan templates for CIOs
Creating a reliable IT budget plan is no cinch, especially in today's digital age. Here, we've rounded up free, customizable IT budget templates to help. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Jan 2016
Internet of Things: Food safety apps set to emerge
Food safety could emerge as a key application for the Internet of Things in the coming months, providing real-time visibility in the vast food supply chain. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Jan 2016
Assessing the cost of private cloud
The high cost of private cloud requires a ton of due diligence on the part of CIOs and business partners. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Dec 2015
Writing a statement of work? Here's what you should include
A project's success can hinge on having clear and specific details about it. Download this free checklist to see critical elements of a statement of work. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Dec 2015
Free statement of work template examples for CIOs
Statements of work are critical in helping CIOs keep projects on track and meet business goals. Check out these free statement of work template examples. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Nov 2015
How organizational agility will save and destroy your company
Aiming for organizational agility? Prepare to change how you scope work, structure teams, develop talent, practice leadership, and deliver and sell your products. Continue Reading
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Opinion
13 Oct 2015
Pixar president on why building a 'fail fast' culture is hard
The duality of failure, IBM's bet on cognitive computing, and the difference between a data officer and an analytics officer: The Data Mill reports. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Sep 2015
Delving into an enterprise IoT initiative? Read this first
From the business problem to the technology, here's what CIOs need to know to get started on an enterprise IoT initiative. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Aug 2015
Larry Wall's programmer virtues and 'vices'
IT pros who are lazy, impatient and hubristic are just what CIOs need. Gartner analyst Danny Brian explains why in this SearchCIO tip. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2015
The platform business model: An introduction
Airbnb does it; Uber does it. What about your organization? Sangeet Paul Choudary lays out the fundamentals of the platform business model. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2015
McCormick spices up food market with digital platform business
Former McCormick CIO Jerry Wolfe talks about his role as CEO of the spice company's new tech spinoff and why a digital platform is so essential to reaching today's foodies. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
22 May 2015
The logistics of a 'bossless' workplace; dated security practices endanger companies
Imagine never having to report to a boss or supervisor again. Sounds great, right? Well, not all the employees at Zappos think so. The company's controversial new holacracy system enforces ... Continue Reading
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News
04 May 2015
The secret to becoming a 'digital master'? Close the IT/business gap.
Capgemini's Didier Bonnet shines a light on how businesses are mastering the digital transformation: The Data Mill reports from the CDO Summit. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Apr 2015
Profiles in digital leadership at Forbes, CBS, US Bank
Forbes, CBS and US Bank use social media marketing, mobile devices, Agile project development -- and strong IT-marketing partnerships -- to drive digital projects. Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Mar 2015
The digital effect on the BPM lifecycle
Digitization has fundamentally changed how businesses operate, but is the same true for business process management? Here's why the BPM lifecycle remains the same. Continue Reading
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News
19 Mar 2015
What startups can teach CIOs about IT funding
Getting the CEO and CFO to fork over funding for innovation IT projects is never easy. At the Fusion 2015 CEO-CIO Symposium, Gartner's Barbara Gomolski advised CIOs to look at how startups raise capital. Here are three tips. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Feb 2015
Loss of focus chief reason for startup failure
Too much passion, too little passion, too many cooks -- there are many factors that can lead to loss of focus and, ultimately, to startup failure. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
12 Dec 2014
Sony breach: The new front in corporate cyber warfare?
Data breaches have unfortunately become the norm. But the now infamous Sony breach has opened the eyes of the IT world to the fact that we haven't seen the end of what cyber attacks have in store ... Continue Reading
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News
04 Dec 2014
UKtech50 2014 - The most influential people in UK IT
Our sister site Computer Weekly has announced the fifth annual UKtech50, a definitive list of the movers and shakers in UK IT. Continue Reading
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News
04 Dec 2014
Global CIO at Unilever named most influential person in UK IT
Jane Moran, the first woman to top our sister site Computer Weekly's UKtech50 list, is innovating while balancing the tech demands of a global giant. Continue Reading
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News
25 Nov 2014
Jim Highsmith offers a 2015 prescription for adaptive CIO leadership
Agile development guru Jim Highsmith makes the case to CIOs that adaptation is tantamount to business survival. Here is his prescription for adaptive leadership. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
24 Oct 2014
500 million stolen financial records in the last 12 months
Week after week a new breach is reported, followed by more advice on how best to protect yourself. But as this week's news roundup from SearchCIO's Fran Sales shows, the degree to which companies ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 Aug 2014
It's time to join the wearables race
Have you joined the wearables race yet? If you're a CIO and you haven't yet, you might want to get on it. Apple, Nike, Ralph Lauren, Under Armour, LG, and Samsung certainly have. CIOs should be ... Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Aug 2014
How PayPal rallied a 4,000-strong move to Agile
PayPal’s wholesale move to an Agile methodology was built on ‘four pillars,’ took seven months and changed the way 4,000 IT and product people did their jobs. Here’s how it got done. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Aug 2014
Four pillars of PayPal's 'big bang' Agile transformation
PayPal's technology VP Kirsten Wolberg gives SearchCIO the facts, figures and philosophy behind a 'big bang' move to Agile that changed the way 510 cross-functional teams work. Included in the budget: $2 million to change out the furniture. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
01 Aug 2014
With malware like Backoff around, IT security can't be about protecting egos
If you're a CIO who takes offense when someone questions your IT security program, it may be time to get out of your own way for the sake of your company. That's the provocative view of Kevin ... Continue Reading
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Guide
24 Jul 2014
CIO Innovator profiles: Industry groundbreakers, great IT leaders
SearchCIO's award-winning CIO Innovator profile series features IT executives who are applying information technology to enable, grow and transform business. Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2014
Leading the digital enterprise: Five tips on how to get there
This year's MIT Sloan CIO Symposium focused on the digital enterprise and how the line between internal and external customers is blurring. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 May 2014
Four elements of creating business agility
Organizational agility expert Joseph Flahiff lays out four practices that lead to business agility. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
11 Apr 2014
Hearts aflutter as 'Heartbleed bug' threatens personal information security
This post was written by Fran Sales, SearchCIO's associate editor. This week, media outlets (and all my friends and coworkers) have been abuzz with news and speculation about the so-called ... Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2014
'Heartbleed' bug leaks personal identifiable information
Searchlight: OpenSSL's "Heartbleed" spills personal identifiable information; how to be a better CIO; a new twist on packing tape; and more. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Feb 2014
Free project management template examples for strategic IT planning
These free project management template examples from around the Web provide project guidelines and strategic IT planning tools to CIOs and IT leaders. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Jan 2014
Foursquare taps into omnichannel
When Foursquare partnered with GrubHub-Seamless this week, it was more than just a boon for lazy burrito lovers. It provided a useful illustration of what omnichannel is intended to be today, and ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
03 Jan 2014
Searchlight List of Lists: The best, worst of 2013 and what's next
If you do something more than once and do it at the same time of year, it's reasonable to consider it an "annual event." Therefore, welcome to the annual Searchlight List of Lists! It's my business ... Continue Reading
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News
02 Jan 2014
Mobile technology changing India but government must legislate
Mobile technology is changing how Indian government and businesses operate but the regulatory environment must change if the country is to reach its potential Continue Reading
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News
27 Nov 2013
HoneyBaked Ham IT and marketing veeps find secret sauce in big data
At The Original HoneyBaked Ham Co. of Georgia, there's no such thing as data for data's sake. Continue Reading
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News
13 Nov 2013
Leadership tips in a challenging environment from three health IT CIOs
At the 45th annual SIMposium, health IT CIOs talked about how technology is changing just about every aspect of health care, except one: the importance of leadership. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Sep 2013
Free technology roadmap template examples for CIOs
These free technology roadmap templates and examples will clear up your organization's strategic vision, combining detail with overarching goals. Continue Reading
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Definition
26 Aug 2013
Pareto principle
The Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is a theory maintaining that 80 percent of the output from a given situation or system is determined by 20 percent of the input. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
26 Jul 2013
Data scientists need to earn trust
They're a hot commodity in high demand. They're the cool kids who know how to get down and dirty with the big data. They're the data scientists, the folks who give meaning to, well, just about any ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
19 Jul 2013
Sophisticated retail data collection programs up the creep factor
Have you ever felt like you were being watched? Well, get used to it. More and more retailers are getting sophisticated with their data collection programs. From mobile device tracking to ... Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Jun 2013
The GRC maturity model and value proposition
In this CIO Matters column, Harvey Koeppel takes a look at the GRC maturity model and how CIOs can turn risk management into business value. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
10 May 2013
Looking forward to the day we don't talk about women in tech
Jennie Lamere did something pretty cool. The 17-year-old high school senior beat out 80 competitors to win a recent hackathon. The prize-winning innovation is an app that called Twivo that can be ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 Mar 2013
Amazon expands empire to social networking
The old saying goes that you can't be all things to all people. But Amazon is sure as heck gonna try. In this week's SearchCIO.com Searchlight, the king of digital disruption shows how it's done. ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
15 Mar 2013
Don't forget to count yourself among data analytics tools
When it comes to making big business decisions, data analytics tools are great to have in your arsenal. But as the lead item in this week's Searchlight reminds us there is one tool IT leaders ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
08 Mar 2013
As cybersecurity takes the spotlight, CIOs need to step up
From the breakout sessions to the lounges to the main stage, at this week's Fusion CEO/CIO Symposium in Madison, Wis., privacy and cybersecurity were on nearly everyone's mind. Recent high-profile ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
22 Feb 2013
Some extra compensation could prompt innovation
Big tech companies like Apple and Facebook are accustomed to encouraging and fostering IT innovation among their employees and getting results. This week's SearchCIO.com Searchlight finds the ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
15 Feb 2013
It's time to roll the dice with social networking
Attention, businesses that aren't actively making use of social networking sites and tools: Go directly to obscurity, do not pass Go, do not collect market share. For you see, Monopoly game maker ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
08 Feb 2013
BYOD has a long life ahead of it
Cruising around the Web this week, I happened upon one of those stories that you just know can't be serious. I don't mean that in an Onion-y way, more of a the-writer-is-doing-this-to-get-attention ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
01 Feb 2013
Information security breach turned into teachable moment
Technically the public didn't need to know about the recent information security breach at "The New York Times." No customer information was compromised and no damage was done to affiliated ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
25 Jan 2013
Data mining for social solutions
Data mining is often associated with Big Brother-esque marketing tactics: Someone out there is assessing your personal shopping habits and other bits of info in order to sell you something they ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
18 Jan 2013
TMI? What to do with all this digital information
We are beyond up to our figurative eyeballs in data. Digital information is everywhere and no one can honestly say they've figured out just what to do with it. Businesses want to harness and ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
11 Jan 2013
CES no longer a hot ticket?
As the folks at HowStuffWorks tweeted earlier, it seems like half the Internet is home sick today. Here at SearchCIO.com Searchlight, we're lucky to have a very flexible work-from-home policy that ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
04 Jan 2013
DCIM will have star turn in 2013 and other technology predictions
Every new year it's the same old thing - everybody calling the next big thing. But heck, who doesn't enjoy a little crystal ball gazing. In this week's SearchCIO.com Searchlight we pass that ball ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
28 Dec 2012
Master list: Information technology news and 2013 predictions
Here at SearchCIO.com Searchlight, there's nothing we like better than a good list -- it is, after all, our stock in trade! So it is our great pleasure to bring you, in these dwindling days of ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
21 Dec 2012
Uniquely naughty threats to information security
It's December 21, 2012 and since we're writing this and you're reading it, looks like that so-called Mayan apocalypse won't come to pass. Well, that's a relief. Now that the world isn't ending, ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
21 Nov 2012
Privacy policy shortcuts are something to be thankful for
Thanksgiving is here and, in accordance with tradition, this week's SearchCIO.com Searchlight seeks to stuff you full of tasty bits and give you a few things to be thankful for. On the menu is a ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
16 Nov 2012
Importance of data security is no secret
Unless you've taken a post-election sabbatical from the news, chances are you're suffering from CIA-FBI scandal fatigue. We at SearchCIO.com Searchlight know how exhausting the 24-hour news cycle ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
09 Nov 2012
STEM is the star of Election Day 2012
This just might go down as the year they really put the "science" in political science. From geophysicists to data scientists, nerds ruled Election Day 2012 with dead-on outcome predictions and ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
02 Nov 2012
Agile technology a beacon in Hurricane Sandy
It's easy to feel a little jaded about the prevalence of technology these days. The capacity for constant connection means we're never really alone. Sometimes it's too much, but then something like ... Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Nov 2012
Free IT organizational structure chart templates for the CIO
Use these free IT organizational structure chart templates to illustrate the relationships and hierarchy between various IT roles in your enterprise. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
26 Oct 2012
Time to scare up a mobility strategy
If you're an East Coast dweller, Halloween probably isn't the scariest thing headed your way next week. (Which reminds us, CIOs, is your DR/BC plan "Billion-dollar storm" proof?) But we at ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
19 Oct 2012
Newsweek is dead, long live digital disruption!
This week's SearchCIO.com Searchlight comes to you from Forrester's Digital Disruption Forum in Orlando, which in turn inspired our findings around the web this week. From the sleepy South, comes ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
05 Oct 2012
Every little byte helps - teaching tech matters
What if you had skills so powerful they could change the course of the U.S. economy? You'd try to pass that awesomeness along, right? Well, great news SearchCIO.com Searchlight readers -- you ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
28 Sep 2012
Data center energy questions spark heated debate
Ladies and gentlemen! Are you ready to rumble?! It's time for Data Center Energy Use Smackdown 2012! OK, so things have been a little more dignified than that, but the start of The New York Times' ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
21 Sep 2012
Big demand for big data analytics pros
In this week's SearchCIO.com Searchlight we have a bevvy, a big ol' bonanza -- ok -- a bunch of interesting bits you may have missed in your own web travels. Read about why being brainy is ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
14 Sep 2012
Gamification proves powerful weapon against security lesson boredom
Not all aspects of dealing with technology are fun. But sometimes technology itself can pep things up. This week, the SearchCIO.com Searchlight shines upon a few examples of the innovative thinking ... Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Sep 2012
Making a business case for data storage and backup
CIO Niel Nickolaisen lays out how he gets the business to invest in storage and backup technologies starting with a business case for the value of data. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
04 Aug 2012
CIO lights up Olympics with green tech innovation
Every four years, it's the same thing. We sit and watch the summer Olympics in awe of human physical potential and our minds begin to wander. What if we'd kept up those swimming lessons? If only we ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
27 Jul 2012
Olympic-size woes and the dark side of tech innovation
Can you believe what a disappointment these games are turning out to be? Oh, we're not talking about the Olympics. We're referring of course to Zynga's recent woes. Yes, in life, as in the ... Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2012
Olympic-size woes and the dark side of tech innovation
This week's roundup finds former tech stars who won't be up on a podium anytime soon, the dark (Hat) side of innovation and heroic leadership lessons. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2012
CIO's green technology solutions cut money, time, carbon footprint
Green technology solutions are a vital part of Janet Claggett's CIO role. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
20 Jul 2012
Conquering brain drain and big data analytics
Is there anyone out there who didn't have the longest, hottest week since ever? We're going to keep this brief, as our brains are more melted than hoax-ified Canadian currency. Good thing this ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
13 Jul 2012
Scary-good tech innovations
Why is it that Friday the 13th only seems scary when it falls in October? Didn't those unfortunate teens meet their demise at a summer camp? At any rate, in honor of this allegedly spooky/unlucky ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
06 Jul 2012
Pondering BPM applications and summer reading lists
Is this the official holiday weekend or was that last weekend? Mid-week holidays are so confusing. One thing we do know for sure is that summer is now in full swing. To celebrate, we've got ... Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2012
Girls who code may become women in computer science
Girls Who Code seeks to give teenage girls the skills to pursue degrees in technology and join the sparse ranks of women in computer science. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 Jun 2012
A revolutionary idea to promote women in computer science
Who went and put a holiday in the middle of the week? Well, if you're not getting a long weekend out of it, at least the Fourth will break up your week -- goodness knows summer weeks are always ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
23 Jun 2012
Summer brings the heat and cool tech innovation
Don't know about you, but we here in the Boston area have had just about enough heat in the first two days of summer to last all season. They say it helps to think cool thoughts -- it ... Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2012
Buddying up to HR to solve your tech hiring headache
CIOs looking for allies in the IT revolution will want human resources on their side in facing the challenge of tech hiring. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
16 Jun 2012
What the Queen of Soul can teach about social CRM
It's Father's Day weekend and what does this week's roundup have for all the dads? Potpourri! Yeah, we know, that sounds even worse than another tie. But we mean it more like the Jeopardy! category ... Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2012
Relocated, remote workers may be worth financial risk
Fearing the financial risk, many companies are missing out on IT talent by not considering hiring remote workers or paying for relocation. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2012
Access is necessary but not sufficient for mobile IT
It's easy to forget how breathtakingly quickly mobile IT made its way to the enterprise. Educating, not just providing access, will be key for CIOs. Continue Reading
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News
04 Jun 2012
Social media tips and other helpful lists
In this week's roundup, we have a list made up primarily of lists -- how meta! Included are social media tips and a general how-to on being a good CIO. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
02 Jun 2012
Social media tips and other helpful lists
The Late Show Top 10, Billboard's Hot 100 -- everybody loves a good list. (Except, perhaps, those of the "to-do" variety.) To help satisfy that hankering for digestible order, this week's roundup ... Continue Reading
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News
01 Jun 2012
Filling soft skills gap may be easier than you think
Some of our readers responded to a recent story about the perceived soft skills gap in IT suggesting the talent leaders are seeking could be all around them. Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2012
CEOs: CIOs earn seat at the table by creating competitive advantage
CIOs who master new technologies and wring value from legacy systems are great, but what CEOs really want is a partner in creating competitive advantage. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
18 May 2012
Really big deals: Facebook IPO and SEC guidance on cybersecurity
Unless you've been living in outer space (or on MySpace), it's impossible not to know that today is the day Facebook drops its privacy settings and friends the NASDAQ. News and analysis abound, but ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
04 May 2012
With tech innovation, countries starting out with less are doing more
When is the last time you actually dedicated time to innovative thinking? If it's taking you a while to answer (or you don't have time to remember because you're too busy working), you're not ... Continue Reading
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News
04 May 2012
Do CIOs care about gaining a competitive advantage?
Do CIOs care enough about gaining a competitive advantage—or is collegiality the secret of success in IT? Continue Reading
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Tutorial
03 May 2012
Enterprise CIO project management resources guide
Project management success requires proper planning, a dedicated team and a deft CIO touch. Learn more in this project management resources guide. Continue Reading
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News
28 Apr 2012
Promoting innovation, from boss-less offices to tweaking big data
This week's roundup of tidbits from the Web includes ways of promoting innovation, as well as talent in the workplace. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
27 Apr 2012
Promoting innovation, from boss-less offices to tweaking big data
Sometimes innovation begets innovation. This week, check out a gaming company that took the rather innovative step of eliminating hierarchy in the workplace and found it led to -- innovation. On a ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
20 Apr 2012
Eco-friendly technology: Green means go, especially in Nebraska
Have you had a "taxing" week? Bad puns probably won't make you feel any better, but checking out our weekly roundup of news bits and analysis just might -- it's totally free. Earth Day is coming up ... Continue Reading
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News
17 Apr 2012
Quotable quotes on the role of the CIO
The best comments on the role of the CIO often don't make it into stories. Here's a collection of insightful and often humorous CIO side comments. Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2012
Reading the tea leaves on the CIO job shakeup at BofA
What do companies want from their CIOs? This week's shakeup in the CIO job at Bank of America suggests the question is not given to easy answers. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
06 Apr 2012
More women in information technology is mission of university prez
Short week? Long weekend? Whether you have something to celebrate or are simply enjoying the extra time off, we invite you to take in this week's roundup of tech bits from around the Web. This ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
02 Apr 2012
Where are the successful women in business leadership?
Each week, we scour the Web looking for the choicest cuts of the blogosphere. This week, we're taking a look at the illusive Millennial-generation traits that lead to a quest for more "me time" ... Continue Reading
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News
02 Apr 2012
Business transformation and the human touch
Business transformation, and how the CIO can bring this to bear through adaptability and a bit of a human touch. Continue Reading